


Thin Ice

by Lexigent



Category: Hamlet - Shakespeare, SHAKESPEARE William - Works
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-30
Updated: 2013-12-30
Packaged: 2018-01-06 16:37:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1109100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexigent/pseuds/Lexigent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prince and his best friend on a cold night in Elsinore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thin Ice

Winter in Elsinore is always cold, but this is one of the worst so far. It's icy underfoot everywhere you go, and the river by the castle has frozen over.Laertes thinks if the castle keeps burning wood at the rate they have over the past two months, there won't be any woods left around it when spring arrives.

He prefers roaming outside, wrapped up in a warm cloak, to the inactivity that most of the castle population seem to succumb to in the colder months. Thankfully, Hamlet is of much the same mind and keeps him company. Laertes suspects Hamlet would prefer being anywhere to being with his parents and has fond memories of them running wild in the countryside with Ophelia when they were very young. But at thirteen, Ophelia has to stay inside whether she wants to or not. Their father has ruled that she is too feeble to be outdoors in the cold and won't hear any tales of how she is far from feeble and can still arm wrestle Hamlet into the ground (which is true), and so the two of them are on their own on this cold, clear day in January. They walk in companionable silence until they get to the river, the sun reflecting off its frozen surface.

Hamlet is first out on the ice, taking no great care or precaution but sliding right ahead of Laertes with his usual impetuousness. He spins around on tiptoe and waves Laertes towards him.

Laertes watches him from the bank, somewhat transfixed by his movements. Hamlet is not as good a fencer as he himself, but he moves with control even without a blade in his hand. Laertes loves watching him during their lessons when Hamlet fences against their tutor. The winter cloak disguises much of the play of his muscles, but there is still something very graceful about his movements.

"Come on!" Hamlet shouts. His breath crystallises in the cold air.

Laertes steps forward, gingerly at first, then faster as he starts trusting the ice, until he draws level with Hamlet. Hamlet takes his hand playfully and spins him around like a dancer, then slides away again, out of reach.

Laertes feels something in his chest that he can't quite name and slides after him. He reaches for his hands again and they start spinning each other until Laertes is dizzy and spreads his arms apart to slow them down. Hamlet catches him and laughs, and then he doesn't let go as fast as he probably should and neither does Laertes, and next thing he knows his lips are touching Hamlet's and Hamlet offers no resistance. If anything, he offers the opposite of resistance.

The ice beneath Laertes' feet makes a sound and Laertes flinches back. For a split second he has a terrifying vision of them sinking into the dark, cold water, clinging to each other and dragging each other further down in the process, each gasping for air at the expense of the other.

The ice under his feet holds. Hamlet and him lock eyes and Laertes isn't sure if what he sees in Hamlet's eyes isn't just as terrifying.

They make their way to the other bank quickly and in silence, Hamlet two feet behind Laertes this time. Laertes doesn't turn around, but Hamlet is beside him on the path in a short while, and tugs his hand so hard that Laertes is forced to stop.

"But— you and my sister—" he starts, the words feeling somewhat useless in his mouth. Hamlet shakes his head and looks at him with a mixture of sadness and surprise in his eyes before he pulls him into a hug, warm and strong. 

"She is my sister too, in all but blood, but you are more than a brother, if you want to be—"

Laertes can feel the ground shifting even though they are no longer on the ice, but he kisses Hamlet anyway.


End file.
